IV Time Jockeys
by Commander Zurtok
Summary: Having lost Jason the quest for the crystals continues. Rated M for violence.


Time Jockeys

"We can grieve later let's beat it!" Ecco said. They agreed and shot off with Ecco leading them. "Stop!" Ecco yelled. Ice formations could now be seen.

Melissa continued sobbing. "Brendon, we lost Jason."

"Let us just ask God to take care of our friend and pray he went quickly." A tear trickled down Brendon's cheek. He was trying to be strong for Melissa even though he was sobbing inside. "It'll be ok, Melissa." He held her comfortingly.

"Up on your left, Brendon." Ecco said. Brendon swiftly fired his pistol and vaporized the shark.

Ecco was dumbfounded. "Was that really necessary?!"

"All sharks are now going to pay for Jason's death." Brendon growled.

"Brendon, before you go tearing up the whole ocean, there is a way to reverse this. You need to trust me."

"You just called me, Brendon."

"It is clearly your name, as Melissa called you that."

Melissa sniffled, "We really have to watch what we say."

"I am a dolphin, who am I going to tell?" Ecco asked.

"How are we supposed to undo what has happened? Unless you have a time machine there is no hope." Brendon replied.

With a very serious face Ecco said, "Yes."

Melissa brightened a bit. "You have a time machine?"

"Not me personally, it belonged to the Atlanteans. I myself have used it twice."

"Okay, let's just get through the arctic, find the crystals, then the time machine." Brendon said.

"We are in total agreement." Ecco said. "Stay close to me. Chunks of ice like to come loose and slide around. They can easily crush you." Brendon drew his pistol. "Never mind."

"My philosophy is shoot first stomp on the corpse later."

"There is no cause for such violence."

"Until Jason is brought back, there is!"

Melissa drew her pistol. "I have to agree. Now show us to the nearest volcanic vent, please."

"Aside from sharks, there are giant underwater spiders, like the one coming at us!" Ecco swiftly swatted the spider away with his tail. This only made the spider angry. It charged at Melissa.

"Oh, it really shouldn't do that." Brendon said.

Melissa holstered her pistol and came up with a hunting knife. She dodged to the side and slashed at the spider cutting off one of its legs. This she took and beat the spider senseless, and then she stabbed and eviscerated the spider. Its blood clouded the water. When it cleared Melissa had a crazed look on her face.

"That is why I try not to upset her." Brendon said.

Ecco had a thoughtful scowl on his face. "Jason was right, there is something wrong. The creatures of the ocean are more aggressive than I have seen them in a long time. The last time they were like this…no. It cannot be."

"What is it?" Brendon asked.

"Old nightmares, that is all. Let's just get the crystals. The vent is this way. You guys ready?"

"Let's do it." Melissa said.

Ecco then heard the song of an old friend in the distance. He led Brendon and Melissa deeper into the arctic waters.

"I thought you said the vent was that way." Melissa said.

"We are making a detour." Ecco replied.

Finally Big Blue was in sight, Brendon and Melissa stopped when they saw him.

"Brendon, if that whale starts talking I'm going to go nuts."

"Brace yourself, I just know it will."

"Ecco, my friend it is so good to see you. Who are your friends?"

Ecco spent a few minutes explaining who they were and the mission they were on.

"I can understand they are intimidated by the sight of me. Brendon! Melissa! You can come closer. I promise you no harm will come to you." Big Blue called.

Brendon held Melissa's hand. "We can do this together." Slowly they swam towards Big Blue.

"So, you are a blue whale." Melissa noted.

"I am. Now, you are wondering why I called Ecco here. Although, I called Ecco I am glad to see he has allies."

"Hold on, we are here to get crystals, revive our friend and continue home." Melissa said tartly.

"Let's at least hear him out. After all we are Team Star Defender. I also just realized everything we do will be undone when we save Jason. So, any shark I see is a target." Brendon said.

"Count me in on that." Melissa said, patting her knife.

"I will come with you as far as the vent. Ecco, I suggest you visit the asterite after you revive your comrade." Big Blue said.

Brendon wanted to ask who/what the asterite was but kept silent. He and Melissa hung onto Big Blue's fins and in this way they got out of the arctic in half the time. "Hmm, it seems Ecco was right. He was holding back on his full speed capacity." Brendon said to himself.

At last they came to the vent. It was strangely quiet, the vent seemed to be inactive but there were plenty of crystals. "Cover me while I gather the crystals." Brendon set his pistol on mark three and narrow beam. Carefully he began cutting crystals from the vent.

"Something is coming." Big Blue said, nervously.

"Whatever it is, keep it off me." Brendon said. "That's one."

Melissa set her pistol to mark ten wide beam. "Bring it on."

"Heaven preserve us." Ecco said. "The Vortex!"

There it was, a vortex soldier leading a school of sharks. "Alacrity would be greatly appreciated, Brendon!"

"Just one more crystal." Brendon said.

"Chew on this you killers!" Melissa fired and the beam vaporized the sharks. The vortex soldier was unaffected. "Oh, that's so unfortunate."

Big Blue swatted the soldier hard into a rock wall with his tail. Melissa was then on him with her knife stabbing mercilessly. The creature cried out in the last moments of its life. "Take that!" As a last vicious act of vengeance she slit the creature's throat. She buried her knife in the creature's neck. She then took a moment to calm down. "Now, will someone please tell me what the hell that is?!"

"It is a vortex soldier, a race that tried to destroy the oceans several years ago. "Their queen fed off the creatures of the ocean. She made the mistake of kidnapping my pod. However, that is a story for another time."

"I have gathered enough crystals to replace them four times if needed. Now, let's go get Jason back." Brendon said.

"You may as well see the asterite it is on the way." Big Blue suggested.

"Thank you, Blue." Melissa said.

Ecco began swimming away so Brendon and Melissa followed.

"Are your suits designed to withstand extreme pressure?" Ecco asked.

"I am sure they will, why?" Brendon asked.

"We have to go very deep to find the asterite."

"Who or what is the asterite?" Melissa asked.

At last Brendon's curiosity would be satisfied. Ecco explained as they traveled. "The asterite is the oldest living thing in the seas. I should warn you before we meet the asterite; it is more intimidating then Big Blue. It looks like a strand of DNA."

"How do you know about DNA?"

"I have known the asterite for many years and he has taught me many things." Ecco led them deeper and deeper into the ocean. "Okay, the asterite is in the next room."

"I heard you coming a mile away, Ecco, come in. Come in. Bring your friends. I am old but my hearing is as good as ever." The asterite said.

Brendon bravely entered the room and then stood awe struck. "Wow, you are beautiful."

Melissa entered and was also in shock. "Incredible, what exactly are you, if I may ask?"

"You can ask, but I cannot tell you. I have forgotten. However, I do have information for Ecco."

"What is it, my friend?" Ecco asked.

"The tube the vortex used to come to earth is still being used by the remaining vortex."

"Let me guess, they are sending some sort of signal through the tube to make sea creatures more aggressive?"

"Yes, they are. I take it you guessed."

"It wasn't hard after the death of our friend. We do have to bring him back, so can we get on with it?" Brendon said.

"Time travel is a very tricky thing. What exactly happened?"

"Ecco, take Melissa to the tunnel we came through. I'll explain everything."

"How are you doing, Melissa?" Ecco asked.

"At this moment I am not sure. I miss Jason, but I know I'll see him soon. It's a real mixer of emotions. You know what I mean?"

"I do. Here comes Brendon."

"We can bring Jason back, but we will have one shot and that's all. Ecco if you would take the point."

"Like I have a choice." Ecco muttered.

The journey was silent for the most part. They passed by a school of beautiful fish. Then Melissa gasped when she saw the marble formations.

"Welcome to Atlantis." Ecco said.

"I never believed in Atlantis and yet here it is." Melissa said.

Brendon looked about carefully, "Just remember this is not our universe."

"It's still amazing. It is such a shame that it sank."

Brendon was pointing his pistol at Melissa. "Do not move."

"Brendon, what are you doing?"

"Shh."

Melissa pointed her pistol at Brendon. "Brendon?!"

Brendon fired just missing Melissa and the spider behind Melissa curled up its legs in death. "I got him dead center."

Melissa holstered her pistol scowling fiercely.

"Nice shooting." Ecco said. "Now follow me." Ecco led them to a stack of large green blocks. "You stay here I will clear our path."

"He is up to something." Melissa said.

"I'm sure that it will help us." Brendon went to lean on the stack of blocks and wound up doing a back flip.

Melissa did a double take. "Who took the blocks?"

"I told you the Atlanteans had some strange and incredible technology." Ecco said. "This way."

Ecco led them through the marble corridors. He stopped at a very large crystal.

"What in the world is that?" Brendon asked.

"It's beautiful!" Melissa exclaimed.

Ecco sang to the crystal and it actually responded, although they could not understand it the crystal said, "Time travel sequence initiated. Multiple travelers."

Brendon wrinkled his brow. He was just about to inquire about the crystal; when Ecco took off again. He stopped in between what looked like two satellite dishes facing each other.

"Ok, you two hold onto me." Ecco said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is the time machine?" Melissa asked.

Ecco replied with a simple and deadly serious, "Yes. Now, I hope you two have strong stomachs."

"Oh, for the love." Brendon sighed, taking hold of Ecco's left fin.

"Just remember this is for Jason." Melissa said, taking Ecco's right fin.

Ecco sang into one of the dishes. It echoed back and forth between the dishes and reality warped as they were dragged into the time tube.

When they regained their senses they were back in the Open Ocean. Jason had just stopped and complained his pack was malfunctioning. Ecco charged full speed at Jason. "Hey. WHOA!"

Ecco connected with the shark hard before it got to Jason. Before the shark could recover Melissa stabbed it with her knife. Before she could finish the shark off, Jason vaporized it.

"To the space plane!" Brendon shouted.

"Wait, what?" Jason said, just as Melissa and Brendon grabbed his arms and dragged him back to the space plane.

Jason sat at the helm holding his head. "Okay, Okay, explain it once more slower this time."

"It was just how it sounded, Jason. You were killed by a shark and we went back in time to prevent it. Thank God we succeeded. We owe Ecco credit as well." Brendon said. "Now, before we leave we are going to sever that tube the asterite mentioned."

"It was very nice meeting all of you and we all would be in great appreciation if you destroyed that tube." Ecco said.

"Alright Jason bring all systems online." Brendon ordered. The space plane slowly came back to life. "Scan for this…tube."

"I think I have it. Shall I lock on missiles?" Melissa asked.

"No, I have a better idea. Can you lock onto the exit of the tube?" Brendon asked.

"Brendon, what are you up too?" Ecco called.

"I plan on giving the vortex something to cause them to think twice about returning to this planet. I plan on shoving the strongest nuke we have right up their tube." Brendon replied. "Arm a fusion special and fire."

A missile launched out of the space plane, climbed into the sky a bit, then inverted and plunged into the water. Ecco watched the missile until it vanished up the tube.

"Are you sure this will work?" Ecco asked.

A nuclear explosion from orbit gave them all a shock. "The tube is severed. That is only the beginning. There are still four more charges left. They will detonate at intervals to make the tube irreparable. The last will impact the planet of the Vortex. I was kind of a militant in my younger years." Brendon said.

"Come to think of it the disappearance my killer whale friend was never explained." Ecco said.

"According to the scanning radar your friend is where he should be I believe he is responsible for an explanation as to his whereabouts." Jason said.

"Ecco, it was an honor fighting beside you." Brendon said.

Jason dove back in the water and embraced Ecco tightly. "I owe you my life."

Ecco barely managed to gasp. "Can't……breathe…."

Jason loosed his grip. "We will never forget you Ecco."

"I will never forget you guys. Now, go on continue your quest."

Jason was pulled back inside the space plane and the hatch shut.

"Let's get out of here." Melissa said.

"We have no idea where we will end up." Brendon said.

"We must continue to find our way home. Besides there are those out there who need help." Jason said, raising the space plane into orbit.

"If it were not for those (bleep)ing space pirates we would be home now. Hit it, Brendon." Melissa said. With that the space plane disappeared.

Continued in The Crossing of Stars


End file.
